Stevens Convicted On All Counts

[Bando]

Looks like the Dems have this Senate seat sewn up. (WaPo Link). This probably isn't good news for Don Young, either.

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

Stevens just borrowed his home furnishings. Palin just borrowed her clothes. Something must be in the water in Alaska.

And guess what story just got bumped off the front page ...

[SirSaxa]

Alaska Republican Senator Convicted
Alaska Republican Governor found to have broken ethics rules in attempt to have Ex-Brother-in-law fired.

This is the "values" party isn't it?

[TC]

Tuesday 28th : Senator Stevens
Wednesday 29th : Obama's infomercial
Thursday 30th : Reaction to Obama's infomercial
Friday 31st : Halloween
Saturday 1st :
Sunday 2nd : NFL!
Monday 3rd : Day before big day!
Tuesday 4th : Election!

Thanks to Stevens, McCain has maybe one or two days left where he can drive some narrative. Is this "Obama's a Socialist" message really his closing argument?

[GIGAFAN99]

McCain's closing argument should be "McCain: I'm first alphabetically!"

Two years, +50 in the House, +14 in the senate, and the presidency. This Bush guy doesn't seem very popular.

[strummer8526]

Anyone have any intimate knowledge or any connection at all to the case? I went over to the courthouse and watched a little bit of it towards the end.

[TBird41]

Oct 27, 2008 19:57:48 GMT -5 strummer8526 said:

Anyone have any intimate knowledge or any connection at all to the case? I went over to the courthouse and watched a little bit of it towards the end.

I think Stevens and his folks were surprised by the verdict and the speed which it came. There's a lot of room for appeal, actually, which he's stated he'll be doing.

There's a decent overview here:

www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/543579.html

[JohnJacquesLayup]

Oct 27, 2008 23:48:51 GMT -5 TBird41 said:

Oct 27, 2008 19:57:48 GMT -5 strummer8526 said:

Anyone have any intimate knowledge or any connection at all to the case? I went over to the courthouse and watched a little bit of it towards the end.

I think Stevens and his folks were surprised by the verdict and the speed which it came. There's a lot of room for appeal, actually, which he's stated he'll be doing.

There's a decent overview here:

www.adn.com/news/politics/fbi/stevens/story/543579.html

What's the alternative, shrug and say "oops, you got me"?

[JohnJacquesLayup]

Oct 27, 2008 17:31:09 GMT -5 TC said:

Tuesday 28th : Senator Stevens
Wednesday 29th : Obama's infomercial
Thursday 30th : Reaction to Obama's infomercial
Friday 31st : Halloween
Saturday 1st :
Sunday 2nd : NFL!
Monday 3rd : Day before big day!
Tuesday 4th : Election!

Thanks to Stevens, McCain has maybe one or two days left where he can drive some narrative. Is this "Obama's a Socialist" message really his closing argument?

I agree, and this doesn't even account for the record number of early voters in key states like Florida and N.C. In many states, upwards of 20% of registered voters have already cast their votes, making the potential impact of either candidate's "closing argument" that much less.

[Boz]

Oct 27, 2008 17:31:09 GMT -5 TC said:

Tuesday 28th : Senator Stevens
Wednesday 29th : Obama's infomercial
Thursday 30th : Reaction to Obama's infomercial
Friday 31st : Halloween
Saturday 1st :
Sunday 2nd : NFL!
Monday 3rd : Day before big day!
Tuesday 4th : Election!

Thanks to Stevens, McCain has maybe one or two days left where he can drive some narrative. Is this "Obama's a Socialist" message really his closing argument?

While I agree with the Obama's infomercial (one can only hope he has charts like Ross Perot!) part of your time line, I really don't think Ted Stevens is being talked about all that much -- outside of MSNBC, that is. It might be different if I could find a single Republican who is defending him (or Don Young), but I haven't been able to.

McCain is actually getting some amount of traction with his closing message. No, it probably won't be enough, but it might help him hang on to some of the more traditionally red swing states (except the Communist country in which I live).

Just an O.

[EDIT: I should add that while that may be the result of McCain's closing argument, that's not what it's designed for, IMO. I think it's designed specifically to try to pick off PA and save Ohio. A fool's errand perhaps, but that's what he has to try for, and it's his only shot in those places.]

[Boz]

She's no Megyn Kelly, that's for sure.

Mmmmmmm.....Megyn Kelly.

[TC]

Oct 28, 2008 9:22:59 GMT -5 Boz said:

While I agree with the Obama's infomercial (one can only hope he has charts like Ross Perot!) part of your time line, I really don't think Ted Stevens is being talked about all that much -- outside of MSNBC, that is. It might be different if I could find a single Republican who is defending him (or Don Young), but I haven't been able to.

Eh, he's getting some play on CNN. I checked Drudge yesterday when the story broke and it was buried as the third link under some giant SIZE=50 headline about Joe the Plumber. The story's been buried on Drudge and Fox because he's dead to them - he's not going to be the one to preserve 41 seats. He'll be #1 on Colbert / Daily Show tonight because of when the news broke yesterday.

Boz, is this "redistribution" message really McCain's closing message? I keep expecting him to go back to his experience in Vietnam or something closer to Country / Service - or maybe even family - pushing special needs / adoption. I don't think an Ashley ad is going to make much difference but he needs something positive about himself out there that will make people wait in lines on a possibly rainy Tuesday in Mississippi and Georgia.

[EasyEd]

Stevens convicted. Let's show him the way out the door immediately. Violated public trust. Now it's Rep. Jefferson's time.

[Elvado]

Rachel Maddow is not ugly. She simply needs a Redistribution of Beauty from some other TV personalities.

[TC]

Wow, McCain calls for Stevens to step down.

[Bando]

Oct 28, 2008 9:22:59 GMT -5 Boz said:

Oct 27, 2008 17:31:09 GMT -5 TC said:

Tuesday 28th : Senator Stevens
Wednesday 29th : Obama's infomercial
Thursday 30th : Reaction to Obama's infomercial
Friday 31st : Halloween
Saturday 1st :
Sunday 2nd : NFL!
Monday 3rd : Day before big day!
Tuesday 4th : Election!

Thanks to Stevens, McCain has maybe one or two days left where he can drive some narrative. Is this "Obama's a Socialist" message really his closing argument?

While I agree with the Obama's infomercial (one can only hope he has charts like Ross Perot!) part of your time line, I really don't think Ted Stevens is being talked about all that much -- outside of MSNBC, that is. It might be different if I could find a single Republican who is defending him (or Don Young), but I haven't been able to.

McCain is actually getting some amount of traction with his closing message. No, it probably won't be enough, but it might help him hang on to some of the more traditionally red swing states (except the Communist country in which I live).

Just an O.

[EDIT: I should add that while that may be the result of McCain's closing argument, that's not what it's designed for, IMO. I think it's designed specifically to try to pick off PA and save Ohio. A fool's errand perhaps, but that's what he has to try for, and it's his only shot in those places.]

I disagree re McCain's closing strategy. Pennsylvania is lost to him, by growing numbers every day. His best strategy is to hold Ohio, Florida, VA, NC, and maybe try to pick off NH. Sure that's tough, but the numbers are a lot better in those states than they are in Pennsylvania.

[Boz]

To clarify, while I said that I think McCain's closing strategy is the one his campaign feels would give him the best shot, I did not mean to indicate that I thought is was his best closing strategy.

I really wish McCain would at least TRY to remind people, in these closing days, how dangerous a world it is in which we live, and that he is the proven candidate to help keep the United States, and our allies, safe.

Even with Colin Powell's* endorsement, I think Obama is still very weak here.

Heck, McCain could even play the "restore our standing on the world stage" card. After all, it's kind of hard for Obama to talk about how well respected the United States will become in his administration when one of the most important political figures in Europe is basically calling him an empty suit and a child.

I know foreign policy has taken a back seat to the economy, but McCain still needs to remind people of his strength in this area, particularly in light of Biden's recent gaffe. He's got a good TV ad about it going in the swing states, but he's not talking about it enough on the stump.

(*Correction: when I mentioned before that I couldn't find a single Republican supporting Ted Stevens, I was wrong. Here's one.)

OK, bit of a cheap shot, but hey, he cheap shotted us first, dammit!
;D

[TC]

Oct 28, 2008 11:18:22 GMT -5 Bando said:

I disagree re McCain's closing strategy. Pennsylvania is lost to him, by growing numbers every day. His best strategy is to hold Ohio, Florida, VA, NC, and maybe try to pick off NH. Sure that's tough, but the numbers are a lot better in those states than they are in Pennsylvania.

NH's in worse shape for McCain than PA. I almost think he'd be better flying out to CA and making himself the face of "YES on 8" and hope that'll give him some votes.

[TC]

Oct 28, 2008 11:55:32 GMT -5 Boz said:

Heck, McCain could even play the "restore our standing on the world stage" card. After all, it's kind of hard for Obama to talk about how well respected the United States will become in his administration when one of the most important political figures in Europe is basically calling him an empty suit and a child.

After advancing the notion that "Everything the French Do is Wrong" (Freedom Fries, etc), not quite sure that's a great strategy.

[Boz]

Republicans & McCain have never said anything but great things about Sarkozy.